‘Final-year students to attend’

‘Final-year students to attend’

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Ahmedabad:12.11.2020

While the government has allowed medical, paramedical and postgraduate students to attend physical classes, in the case of undergraduate courses, including engineering, only final-year students will be allowed to attend classes. The move is to minimize the risk of Covid-19 infection as it will immensely reduce the class strength and help in taking social distancing precautions.

Himanshu Pandya, vicechancellor of Gujarat University said they are planning to take written consent from parents before allowing the students to attend college.

“After careful consideration we have taken the decision to reopen undergraduate level colleges only for final-year students. In case of PG courses, the number students are anyway very less in comparison, so social distancing measures can be taken care of,” said Anju Sharma, principal secretary, higher education.

Sudhir Nanavaty, president of Gujarat State Higher Education in Colleges said that when all other activities have slowly opened up, it was time for educational institutions to re-open.

“For undergraduate courses, the classroom strength can be reduced to one-third as only final year students are allowed to attend,” Nanavati said.

Schools, colleges to reopen from November 23 in Gujarat

Schools, colleges to reopen from November 23 in Gujarat

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Ahmedabad:12.11.2020

After being closed for about eight months, schools and colleges are set to reopen in the state from November 23 amid Covid-19 pandemic.

A decision to reopen secondary and higher secondary schools as well as colleges in the state after Diwali vacation was taken on Wednesday by the state cabinet chaired by CM Vijay Rupani.

The state will resume classroom studies from class 9 to 12 from November 23 for schools. In case of colleges and universities, the government will reopen them in a phased manner, starting with medical, paramedical and post graduate programmes. For undergraduate courses, the government has decided to resume classroom studies only for final year students initially.

The decision comes at a time when many other states have had to revoke similar decisions and again shut down educational institutions after facing a rising number of Covid-19 infection cases in school going students.

Before taking the final decision in the matter, the government held discussions with various stakeholders including department of education, school, college, university administrators and academicians, said education minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama.

Tirumala employee sends porn link to devotee, dismissed

Tirumala employee sends porn link to devotee, dismissed

Sandeep.Raghavan@timesgroup.com

Tirupati:12.11.2020

Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams on Wednesday dismissed an employee working for Sri Venkateswara Bhakti channel (SVBC), following an internal inquiry that confirmed he sent a porn link to a devotee, instead of religious material. The incident came to light after the devotee, who received the porn link from the official email handle of SVBC, lodged a plaint with TTD top brass. An inquiry was ordered.

According to an official statement, an employee of the channel allegedly sent the porn link to a Hyderabadbased devotee. The staffer, who has access to the official e-mail of a particular programme on SVBC, was reportedly in a highly inebriated state when he emailed the porn link to the devotee.

The temple body, which engaged the services of IT experts from its vigilance and security wing, was even more shocked when it was found that nearly 30 staffers of SVBC regularly watched TV serials and porn sites on office computers during office hours. When the inquiry officials checked the search history of SVBC office computers, links to several pornographic websites were noticed.

The inquiry team, which has already seized the office computers, is in the process of compiling a preliminary report for submission to SVBC and TTD managements for action against the guilty.

In January actor-turned politician Prudhvi Raj resigned from the chairmanship of SVBC after an audio clip of his ‘intimate’ talks with a woman staffer of the channel went viral. Following Prudhvi Raj’s episode, the temple body revamped the SVBC board and appointed additional EO A V Dharma Reddy as the channel’s managing director.

The official statement said a team of 25 software engineers carried out computer security audit in SVBC and a cyber cell team has been constituted. “During inquiry it was found that a few more employees are also involved in such wilful, indecent conduct. If proved guilty, action will be initiated against them too,” the statement said.

Full report on www.toi.in

Beware of post-Covid pneumonia, say docs

NOV 12: WORLD PNEUMONIA DAY

Beware of post-Covid pneumonia, say docs

Kamini.Mathai@timesgroup.com

Chennai:

Around 15% of those who have recovered from a Covid-19 infection return to the hospital with pneumonia a couple of weeks later, say doctors.

“That’s why the convalescent period for Covid-19 is important and the patient needs to be monitored at home for weeks after the treatment,” says Dr K Rajkumar, pulmonologist, Fortis Malar Hospital. “If patients return with a secondary bacterial infection, recovery is difficult because the lung has already been weakened by the coronavirus. Mortality can go as high as 30% in those who have returned with pneumonia,” says Dr Rajkumar.

Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs caused by viruses and bacteria. “Most viruses produce pneumonia that is confined to a small part of the lung, but if it extends to a larger part of the lung, then it can cause hypoxia, a condition where the body is deprived of oxygen,” says Dr Raj B Singh, pulmonologist at Apollo Hospitals.

The first phase of Covid-19 is virus replication, explains Dr Singh. The second phase of the disease is the immune response. “We have found cortico steroids and anticoagulants (as the blood tends to clot easily at this time) to be effective in this phase.”

When the Covid-19 infection is not severe, people can recover fast, says Dr Singh, but two weeks later it can develop into a widespread systemic inflammation or pneumonia, one that can cause damage to the nervous system, liver, and kidney.

“This is dangerous and sometimes lethal,” he says.

Doctors say they are still unsure as to who is likely to get the post-Covid pneumonia. “People think it is the elderly, or those who are immunecompromised, but it is difficult to predict,” says Dr Rajkumar.

Doctors suggest that those who have recovered remain cautious and report even the mildest symptoms, which can include a low grade fever, cough with or without yellowish sputum, fatigue and tightness in the chest.

Dr Singh says it is best that those who have recovered from Covid 19 continue to monitor themselves for temperature and oxygen saturation. “Get enough rest and adequate fluids. Do not overexert and be ambitious about getting back to work. Try to exercise only when the strength returns, don’t force it. It can take one to two months for a full recovery.”

This is where timely intervention helps, says emergency medicine consultant Dr M Sai Surendar from the Rela Institute and Medical Centre. “We have found that people who seek medical help in the earlier stages of Covid-19 infection are likely to recover better. If they come in when the infection is at a severe level, they are likely to return with pneumonia a few weeks after discharge.”

Get enough rest and adequate fluids. Do not overexert and be ambitious about getting back to work. Try to exercise only when the strength returns, don’t force it

DR RAJ B SINGH

pulmonologist Apollo Hospitals

HC not happy with Marina closure; will pass orders, say judges

HC not happy with Marina closure; will pass orders, say judges

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:12.11.2020

Irked at continued closure of Marina and other beaches for public, the Madras high court has warned the authorities concerned that it would order their opening if the government did not take a decision.

A division bench of Justice Vineet Kothari and Justice M S Ramesh made the observation on Wednesday when the the corporation authorities said beaches might not be opened for public till November-end.

Wondering why the Marina beach alone was still out of bounds for the public when everything else, including cinemas, have been opened, the judges said: “If Chennai Corporation does not take a decision, then we would have to pass direction to open the beach.”

The bench also expressed its disappointment over the submission made by additional advocate general S R Rajagopal that the beach might not be opened for public till the end of November.

The issue pertains to a plea for regularisation of vending on the beach, its proper maintenance and eviction of fish venders from the Loop Road.

When the plea came up for hearing on Wednesday, Rajagopal filed an additional report on behalf of the corporation and submitted that the corporation commissioner and the city police commissioner are frequently inspecting the beach and Loop Road, as per directions of the court.

As to the maintenance of the beach, the corporation is using 8 tractor-driven beach cleaning machines regularly from 6am to 2pm, the AAG said. As to the tender for procurement of 900 uniform smart carts to be distributed to licenced vendors in Marina, the AAG submitted that the tender was scheduled to be opened on November 10 at 3 pm but the same could not be proceeded in view of a stay issued by a single judge of the court. The stay has been ordered on a plea moved by one of the bidders, he added.

Recording the submissions, the bench directed the registry to tag the petition challenging the tender with the current PIL and adjourned the hearing to November 18.

Travelling to Mahabs? Pay toll at one more point now

Travelling to Mahabs? Pay toll at one more point now

Ram.Sundaram@timesgroup.com

Chennai:12.11.2020

Get ready to pay toll fee at one more point while travelling to Chennai’s most prominent and preferred weekend getaway — Mammallapuram.

The state municipal administration department has allowed the local panchayat to levy tolls on all vehicles entering or crossing the tourist destination.

“Though local tenders were floated in the past to collect user fees from tourists at an informal checkpost setup at Mammallapuram entrance, there was no accountability, So, government has issued orders in October to regularise this income,” said a Mahabalipuram town panchayat official.

Accordingly, private cars, vans and buses will pay ₹75, ₹100 and ₹125 each. Also, this is the only toll in the Chennai region to demand fees (₹15) from twowheelers. On an average, 700 two-wheelers, cars and vans arrive at Mahabalipuram on weekdays and the number almost doubles during weekends or festival holidays.

Therefore, if a family decides to take out a car for spending their weekend at Mammallapuram, they will have to pay at least₹175 for crossing three toll plazas (IT corridor along OMR, ECR Uthandi toll plaza and the new one at Mammallapuram entrance) for one-way trip. Another ₹100 should be spent on tolls in case they are staying there for a day. Similar toll fee collection points have been set up at Mangadu and other tourist locations in and around Chennai.

More than the toll fee, it is the long queues at tolls plazas and traffic congestion are what irks a section of the public. “Even after paying toll, we don’t see any facilities available to make the commute better,” said S Nirmal, of Thoraipakkam. Leave aside restrooms or emergency services, Mammallapuram doesn’t even have a toll booth. It is just a bunch of men blocking vehicles in the middle of the road and demanding money, he added. “Only now Covid lockdown norms have been relaxed and tourists are coming back. Levying tolls will definitely affect tourism,” said Senthil Velan, a hotelier from Mammallapuram.

A temporary worker of the panchayat collects toll fee from a vehicle at the entry point to Mammallapuram

Fund crunch halts restoration of Chitlapakkam lake

Fund crunch halts restoration of Chitlapakkam lake

Komal.Gautham@timesgroup.com

Chennai:12.11.2020

The state government’s ₹25crore eco-restoration of the Chitlapakkam lake has been halted due to fund crunch. The public works department had proposed the project last year after residents began de-silting and restoring the lake on their own.

Chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami had visited the lake and sanctioned the project. Work began in February but was stopped due to Covid. In June, the contractor started work again but then stopped it.

“We held a meeting last week and presented before the state government the developments. The government has sanctioned ₹2 crore now and we have given the cheque to the contractor. Work will begin after Diwali. By March next year, it will be complete,” said an official.

Under the project, the PWD plans to strengthen of the bund, desilt and deepen the tank, remove garbage, lay a footpath, build macro drains and stop sewage inflow among others. “We are on the right track. Earlier, instead of removing the legacy waste we had planned to cover it with grass. However, after residents protested, we decided to remove the garbage,” said an official.

Residents contented that desilting has yet to be completed and sewage inlets have not been plugged. They said work was had made little progress.

“The drain constructed has already cracked. They haven’t completed desilting and with the monsoon on, we are worried that water will not percolate. This may create water scarcity in the summer. Had they stopped sewage inflow and completed desilting and deepening of the lake, water would have filled it,” said Sunil Jayaram from Chitlapakkam Rising, the movement behind the restoration project. “Sembakkam lake is filled with sewage and not rainwater. We do not want the same in Chitlapakkam lake.”

An official said the PWD understood concerns of the residents. “But engineering work cannot be completed overnight. We have removed a portion of the legacy waste. And we need to fill that area with sand and debris. We are awaiting permission from the government to remove the remaining waste. We have explained all this to the residents,” the official said.